Sarah's Choice
by ShadoweGoddess
Summary: The beginning is an end, what is truth, what is lies? Jareth has been deposed as king, Sarah is on a mission. There is nothing left for her Above. What will happen? Where will she go? R&R.
1. Chapter 1

Sarah chewed on her lip, she wasn't sure if this was such a good idea. After all… The way things had ended… She saw the look on his face, now that she was older she could also recognize the pain reflected there. She'd broken his heart. Now… She was older. Far older than anyone truly realized. Her time in the Labyrinth had changed her.

Her family had grown old and withered away, her brother… He had aged slower than the rest, yet he was not as changed as she was. She knew it had to do with Jareth, the way the book ended… She had always wondered before what powers the King had given the girl. Now she knew. She had been turned into a fae.

There was no other recourse; she would not call on Oberon or Tatiana. That would be asking for cruelty beyond measure. The old stories were more than true, yet they never mentioned that the fae could turn a mortal into a human… It was an oddity for sure.

Taking a deep bracing breath, Sarah let go of her fears. She called out to him with all her being, letting the love and the sorrow echo within her being, "Jareth! Goblin King! Hear me! Take me away…"

She waited… And waited some more… It hadn't taken him so long the last time that she had called… Perhaps though that was because he had been _expecting_ that call. This one… He may not even realize it was her. So she tried again, "Jareth… Please… Come to me, take me away…"

This time within moments, there was someone there. However, it wasn't Jareth. This man… He was dark, dark in soul, dark in looks. He was not Jareth, where Jareth was playful and mischievous he was not truly dark. Oh yes, he could be cruel. But cruelty doesn't make one inherently dark either.

"Hmm… You are a pretty little thing… However, I am curious as to how you know my…" Here the man smirked. It made her skin crawl as he eyed her, as if she were nothing but a piece of meat. As he did that, she felt her ire rise, as it did so she made sure to breath deeply. She would not let this man know her secrets. He was _not_ Jareth! He was the one she would tell first.

"Your what?" She queried, letting the man draw his own conclusions as his gaze clouded at her prodding. "My older brother you foolish mortal. I have ruled for the last century! None should know his name! He has been banned from us!"

Nodding to herself, she turned on her heel and walked away from him. Stepping to the side lightly, she smirked as he threw his power at her. Glancing over her shoulder, she told him, "You'll have to do better than that princeling. You are no king. Jareth is a king. You will regret what you've done to him. You and anyone who has harmed him." As she spoke her breath frosted the warm Autumn air.

That was the first hint he got that she was no ordinary mortal. He would learn to regret what had happened, she would accept no nonchalant cruelty. She did not care that was what the fae were known for. Maybe this was why she was now fae. She would bring about a revolution. A revolution that would change a race. Her brow furrowed, she concentrated on trying to find Jareth. She had never had to hone her abilities as to finding someone, after all, what was the point when all she loved in the Above were dead? Focusing, she found an anomaly. Something didn't belong. It was… Far away. Yet she could see it in her minds eye. It was glamoured.

With determination in her footsteps, the air shimmered behind her. The waves of her anger affected the very air around her. She would change the world. Above and below. There was no doubt of it. As she wandered, searching for her lost love, her magic warped those around her. Those whom she'd touched before her family had died, her brothers children's children, they too were fae touched.

Thus began a journey that would shape the future of the worlds. The hidden and the world we mortals see. What will happen in her search for Jareth? Who was the man whom she left so chilled in her wake? Is he truly an enemy? Or is he merely a man deluded by grandeur? Are Tatiana and Oberon so very cruel, or is there something more going on?


	2. Chapter 2

As Sarah searched, she discovered a great deal about her world. A world that she had thought she'd known was now foreign to her. From the US, she ended up in the middle of some country whose name she couldn't pronounce. Yet, she could see from the corner of her eye, sometimes even in broad daylight, fae who had stayed in the Above.

As far as she'd known, when the fae had left, they'd taken all to the Underground. All of their peoples, Seelie and Unseelie, or so she and the rest of the Mortal population had been led to believe. Yet here, before her was the proof that they were still here. So lost in her thoughts of what the fae had left behind, she hardly noticed when a will'o'the wisp suddenly appeared before her. Its little face was shadowed by its own brilliance, the light they used to lure unwary travelers to their deaths.

As she continued walking, the little wisp took to swatting at her nose, causing her to go cross-eyed as she tried to catch the little imp. "Finally! Took ya long 'nough to realize wot I was doin'!" The little fae cried.

Holding up her hand for the little thing to land on, she kept on walking as she set him upon her shoulder, where he promptly moved to the juncture of neck and shoulder. Being so close to her ear, she was able to hear what the little one had to say. He'd been sent as a messenger by the leader of the city. She was an unknown, needing to present herself to their leader. As Sarah walked, she frowned. Who was this leader? Did they have anything to do with where Jareth was?

When the little creature bit her ear, she reached up with a snarl as it fluttered away. If it had been a moment slower, she would have crushed it. She'd become cruel as any fae. However, she hadn't turned it into a casual cruelty. It was only times like this, when she was startled or in pain. Letting her snarl rumble out of her throat into the air, she watched the fluttering light of the will'o'the whisp.

"Take me to the leader of this city. I am searching for someone. Someone who is mine!" As she said those words, it felt as if the world shifted around her. As if saying those words had been fated, setting their fate into stone. It appeared that the little fae in front of her had also felt it… And so had every other fae around her, for they suddenly appeared from the shadows, hidden places where she had not thought to look.

Trying not to let her temper get the best of her, she rumbled out once more, "Take me to the leader of your Clan. I have to get on my way, I would like to know if they have any clues as to where my beloved could have been hidden away. Away from me, away from his throne, away from his lands!"

The little fae along with all the others were startled into action, leading her in one massive group to where their leader lived. It was a grand old house, long abandoned to the mortal eye. To hers, it was well kept, the gardens flourishing even now toward the end of Autumn and the beginning of Fall. Tracing her eyes expertly over its eves and it's shadows, she saw that it had been fae built. Without fear, she walked to the door, waiting impatiently as the fae around her shifted with nervousness. It was obvious to her that they were not used to someone of her status, let alone her mystery being within their tight knit group.

Seeing that they weren't going to take the initiative to open the door, she opened it herself. Noting that it wasn't a grandeur as the outside would have lead her to believe. With a sigh, she shrugged. Not everyone could be Jareth. And even he had let his Castle go to ruin… Perhaps that had been on purpose though… She had no clue what secrets were hidden amongst the castle, let alone what he had hidden from her on her journey there so many years ago.

As her eyes finished adjusting to the change in lighting, she noticed someone standing on the landing above them. As she studied them, she felt dizzy with shock. Standing there appeared to be Jareth, that is until she realized it wasn't him. Her heart was singing, yet her body was not. She knew it would just as it had so many years ago. This was not her beloved, the man to whom she had given her heart when she was just a girl of fifteen.

"Who are you? I _know_ you're not Jareth. Who are you to bear his face? Tell me now, before I tear this city to shreds, including all those here. I care not if they are innocent, he is mine."

The man before her dissolved into a shadowy figure, who came into focus as they walked down the stairs. He was still a man, yet not near as tall as Jareth, in fact he was almost a head shorter. As he walked he sang in a soft voice a song she had only heard in her dreams and memories. "There's such a sad love, deep in your eyes, a kind of pale jewel…." She watched the man warily even as tears shimmered in her eyes. It may not have been Jareth, but it was someone who knew.

"He is and always has been yours my lady. There is no one who could bear such cruel majesty as you. Not even Jareth. Despite how much he would like to argue otherwise, he could never face down Oberon and his Court. I am sure that you met the child who sits upon his throne. That was _not_ Oberon's doing. Do not blame him. As you surely wonder who I am… How I know you, not only know of, but know _you…_" Here the man paused, as if waiting for her outrage to spill over in a torrent of heat and pain, "I am Puck. Surely you've heard of me?"

Here her tenuous control snapped, her anger manifesting in frost forming on the floor around her as the air cooled dramatically. She had apparently been aligned with water and cold, her abilities manifesting as those of an elemental even as her physical reactions led her to believe she'd been blended with a cat. "Robin Goodfellow. Of course you'd protect your king. He is Oberon, Overlord of all Fae. Even the King of the Goblins must obey. How can you say that it was _not_ Oberon's doing? Unless of course, you mean to imply that there has been a rebellion against him. Oberon has ruled for countless centuries. Yes, he and Titania have had their spats, even bearing children of others. In fact, Jareth is not Titania's. I am more than aware of this. No… You can't…" Puck watched as she realized what had happened. Titania more than likely had not meant what had happened to Jareth to happen, yet it had. One of her and Oberon's children had finally decided to take matters into their own hands.

It had always irked some of them that Jareth ruled, yet none of them did. What they did not realize was that Jareth was older than anyone of them had ever realized. He was one of the oldest of the fae, one who had never mated nor married, not in all the centuries he'd been alive. Titania and her husband, his father had done well, too well in keeping his age a secret. In fact… There were several prophecies surrounding the poor boy before his birth. He would have to tell her what they were… In fact he'd have to tell her about the prophecies surrounding herself as well. Closing his eyes, he truly feared for his life as he though of these things.


	3. Chapter 3

"Tell me now Robin Goodfellow, also known as Puck, emissary, servant and friend of Oberon, where is Jareth?" Sarah demanded, frost upon her breath as her anger cooled and spread. Puck tried not to shudder, he didn't want this ones wrath to land upon him truly.

"He is not here. I know where he is however. Oberon has had me searching, ever since you defeated him. The man you met… Well, he is Jareth's half brother. A child of Titania and Oberon as you might have guessed. Many of their children are… Or were, quite upset that Jareth ruled so completely and without censorship of their majesties. Many could not understand that Jareth… He was chosen long before he or any of the others were born. Along with you my lady," He tried to get back to her good graces, granted he had not been in them before hand, yet he had to try. She must listen to him!

"Speak freely, or I will have to cut that tongue of yours out… I won't make it pleasant either." Gulping he tried to calm his racing heart, he could feel the sweat beginning to bed on his brow slowly dampening his mouse-brown hair. "Yes my lady. There are… Several prophecies surrounding you and King Jareth." He felt that for the time being he might as well address Jareth more respectfully by his title, not as if they had been friends.

"What prophecies?" She queried with a hard glance at his slowly diminishing form as his fear took hold of him. The stories she had heard of Puck had made him out to be grander, not as mousy as he was, nor as much of a wuss. She frowned, this was not right. She was supposed to be out there looking for her King, yet here she was, waylaid once more. She would give him a bit longer before turning him into an ice sculpture… That wasn't truly a sculpture.

"Jareth… With you at his side will take the thrones of Oberon and Titania. You will become what neither has before, immortalized by the gods favor, chosen by the land itself. You a mortal made fae, him… A bastard child, half fae half god… There will come a time of reckoning, awoken by a misspoken wish; a love that will span eternity will be born. Surviving death, only to be broken by her lord's urgency, she will bring about changes throughout the worlds. Each step she takes, whispers will follow in her wake. His death and rebirth will undo that which was broken, in the end, all will awaken."

Sarah's eyes widened. She sensed this was truth. For the fae could not truly lie, they could misspeak and mislead one. This prophecy, it tied into others, it was as if she could almost see the threads of fate beginning to take form.

"You speak truly Robin Goodfellow. Now, do you know where Jareth is truly?"

"I do Your Grace. I will lead you there as surely as I know my own name," The man murmured before turning on his heel to walk back up the stairs once more. Now that her anger had dissipated, he wasn't quite so mousy; in fact he was quite handsome. His hair was an ash blonde, flowing in gentle curls to his shoulders which were quite broad. Even if he was short, he was a handsome specimen of fae masculinity.

"Did my anger scare you that badly?" She questioned as she followed him up the stairs. It had not been her intention, her impatience to get to Jareth was apparently overriding her common sense along with her manners.

"It did. You are… Quite powerful and the tales of your temper… Well, the weren't exaggerating!" He glanced over his shoulder, letting her catch a glimpse of his eyes, which were what proclaimed him most of all to be not human. They were a shade of silvered gray that reminded one of leaves under the moonlight.

She held up a hand, "I don't want to know what tales you have heard Robin Goodfellow."

"Please my lady, call me Puck," He murmured as they reached a door. Opening it, he stepped forward as he called for her to follow quickly. "Where in the hell are we?"

"We've gone through a little short cut of mine. It's taken me almost a decade to make this beauty. Or we'd have _never_ reached Jareth with time to spare. I'm just glad I started to prepare long before you arrived to speak to me."

Sarah looked around in amazement; it appeared to her that they were now in Ireland someplace. The land around them was a verdant green, a green she'd only heard described in Ireland. It had once been called the Emerald Isle for a reason. Suddenly a thought hit her, "Puck, is this not where the Tuatha de Danaan reside?" Glancing to her side where he had been, she growled as she realized he was there no longer.

"Do not fear lady, for I am here still. I just stepped aside to look at something. To answer your question… They once resided here, now… It is an empty place. They have long retired to the Underground. They tired of the Above, once Christianity arrived… They slowly, yet almost too quickly lost their followers, thus losing power here. The thought of One God..." Puck shuddered delicately at that thought. There to him had always been a God and Goddess, two sides of the same coin. Cruelty and pity, grace and forgiveness. It was the same as the changing of the seasons; they were blessed by the gods to have this time.

Sarah quickly sent a brief prayer to the gods above, begging them to keep Jareth safe, as he was one of them. Hoping against hope that he would still be there by the time they arrived. With her luck… Shaking her head, she shook those thoughts from her mind, determined not to even let them linger in the back of her mind.

"Well then Puck, let us be off. I want to be there as soon as possible, and may the gods be willing, he will still be safe and sound. Hopefully, relatively unhurt. However… I do not know if the man I met, if he was the one to have him kept prisoner… I do not know how well my beloved will have truly fared."

"The only true way for us to know Lady is to go and see."

So they traveled, time moving past them as they marched along. Sarah had long ago lost track of the days, even what year it was. So it was almost a shock when they arrived where Jareth was being kept. If she hadn't had Puck with her, she would have walked right on by it. The glamour on it was so strong that she couldn't bear to look at it for more than a few seconds. Even with magic strong within her, she was not born in the Underground where one lived and breathed such things.

As she stood there trying to get her bearings even as she kept from getting violently ill from the glamour, Puck was trying to find how it had been booby trapped. He after all did _not_ want to die, let alone face what would happen to him if he managed to rescue Jareth yet have his lady love die on his watch. If Sarah was terrifying, then Jareth was downright "I will kill you, I don't care if you're innocent, you hurt what is _mine!"_

Almost whimpering, he finally saw it, a thin thread out of the corner of his eye, glimmering a pale shade of golden rose. Studying it, he picked out small flaws within it, letting a shadow of a smile grace his features; he pulled with his powers, unwinding the explosion that would have happened had they walked right through it. Looking once more, he saw nothing more. It was as if they had expected that to be enough to kill them. Which, he admitted to himself very well could have been had he not been looking for it.


	4. Chapter 4

Shock written across her face, Sarah watched was Puck unwound the threads of power. Wrinkling her nose in distaste at being powerless to help, she just stood there watching as he did his job. Slowly, the golden-rose threads began to dissipate from her view.

Taking slow steps forward, he led her to the door hidden in the side of the Cairn. It blended almost seamlessly with the moss and lichen covered stone. Yet, with the keen eye of the sidhe, Puck had found it, then again… With as _old_ as he was, he more than likely had been aboveground before the mass exodus that had left the majority of the aboveground bereft of the Fae. Beyond those who had chosen to stay or just hadn't the power to follow their brethren.

A frown on her lips, the furrow between her brows slowly deepened. She wanted to know why and how he knew where Jareth was being kept. This smelled slightly rotten, yet she had to trust him for now. She would keep the peace until her king was found, then… Hell would rain upon those who had taken his throne from him, along with quizzing the Fae in front of her.

With a grating sound, the stone slowly slid free of its binding. It had been a long time since this entrance had been used apparently. With a flick of his wrist, Puck had a globe of light in one palm as he motioned for her to stay behind him. Slipping through the small crack he'd made, she was beyond thankful that she was petite, or there would have been no way for her to make it through. Although, she did have a little bit of an issue with her breasts… Sometimes it really did suck to be rather busty. Not just in the clothes department, but in the squeezing through small or tight places.

Sliding one hand along the wall as they walked, she let her power flow through her, glimmering along the wall, just in case the need arose for her to get out by herself. She was hoping to leave with Jareth, yet she had to have her own precautions. For now she was trusting Puck to lead her to him, however she did not fully trust him. He was not one of her people. Not like Hoggle, Sir Didymus or Ludo.

Even they did not know what was happening above, she had not contacted them in many years. Despite that and everything that had happened, she still considered them friends. She tended to be quite possessive, even of her friends. Which led to another problem that she and Jareth would have to face, she was well aware of the issues most Fae had with being monogamous. She fervently hoped that she would not have this issue with Jareth. Granted, her views might change a bit more as she spent more time with the Fae, in the meantime however, she expected loyalty to her and only her.

Suddenly, she lost sight of Puck. Hurrying, she tried to catch up to him, only to stumble through an illusion and into his back. Without moving, let alone breathing he looked ahead of them. Which prompted her to try and be as still and silent as she could be, all while trying to see what was beyond his now broad back. It was as if her trust and belief in him was transforming him from the meek mouse of a man she had met just a few short hours before.

Hushed voices wafted to her ears, echoing slightly within the cavernous cairn. They were male in tone, yet she couldn't understand a word of what they were saying. It sounded like ancient _true_ Gaelic the Gaelic that the English had forced the Celts of Ireland and Scotland to abandon when they had finally conquered them.

She of course because of this, had not been able to find a way to learn it. Despite her love of learning, there was no way for her to learn. Now however, as soon as she found Jareth, he was going to teach her the language so that if there were another such an incident, she would be able to speak with either her captors or his. (Or maybe she would just force Puck to teach her. Seeing as he would have to make himself useful in some way anyhow…)

With slow careful steps, Puck banished the globe of light he had been holding within his palm. Sarah kept her fingers trailing along the wall, hoping that the little power she was infusing into the stone would remain unnoticed until they were gone, if it was noticed at all. Glancing over her shoulder, she eyed the small thread of power tracing back the way they had come, nodding to herself, she kept on walking a few paces behind Puck.

Laughter caused Puck to jerk to a stop, firelight bouncing around in merry shadows ahead; he tilted his head, listening to what was being said. Slowly he began to walk once more, small, hesitant steps that he kept as quiet as possible. He looked over his shoulder at Sarah a frown marring the beautiful lines of his face, the longer she was around him, the more the glamour he had wrapped around himself faded, revealing his true face. It was as beautiful as had been described in the poetry and lore surrounding all the fae.

Letting out a sigh of relief, Puck called out, "Ho there friends!"

A startled pause followed his proclamation, before two men appeared in the shadows of the firelight flickering across the silvered stone of the Cairn ahead of them. Sarah found herself hiding behind Puck, not because she was afraid, but because she did not want to be seen, she would allow him to shield her and surprise the mean if the need arose. Her power rose unbidden, wrapping her in her own power, the glamour blending her with Puck.

"Who are you? How in the seven levels of Hades did you get here?"

From what she could see and hear of Puck, he looked and sounded rather offended, "You don't recognize me Callum of Finn? I, the one who rescued you from the Isle of Aran… When you danced a dangerous dance, baiting and failing the Old Ones? I stepped in for you Child." The more Puck spoke, the more the man before them paled, the look on his face speaking for him. He remembered Puck, quite well evidently.

"Robin Goodfellow, known as Puck, retainer to Oberon, I greet thee. For any offense, I apologize as well. It has been long since thee has been seen within the world of the Above. More often, we hear of the King Jareth, blasted man that he is. Him and his Goblins…" The man seemed to falter, Sarah could feel the anger radiating from Puck, it was rolling off of him.

"Speak not about a man you do not know, aside from the rumors and hatred spewed by his siblings! Oberon and Titania know who he is, it is by _their_ will he is king! Do you believe all that you hear Callum of Finn?" His voice was low, driving home his passion.

The other fae cowered, Pucks power was enormous, more than she had even suspected he wielded. She should not have been surprised, according to the snippets she had been able to piece together, he and Jareth were friends, good friends at that. In fact, if her suspicions were right, Puck was here at Oberon's behest.

Stepping to his side, Sarah watched him. The emotions crossing his face were almost too many to name, she could see love and devotion, passion in his defense of her king. Mayhap there was more going on here than she had originally thought, was Puck in love with Jareth? This was just more food for thought.

Letting her glamour fall, she enjoyed the looks of shock on the men's faces. Callum (Well who she assumed was Callum) gaped at the small woman who had appeared from behind Puck. Everyone knew that Puck was in love with Jareth, they had been a couple once upon a time, before the prophecies came to light. Not something many knew, yet the sidhe were not known for being picky about gender. Love was love.

"Tell me where my king is. As informative as the banter you have going on is, I am more interested in my king. Now where is he?" Sarah murmured cooly, the anger she felt brewing all but ice in her veins. The sooner she was with Jareth, the sooner all would be soothed.

"I don't answer to you bitch. And king? What king are you speaking of? Are you asking about the fool who was deposed? If so… You're too late," Callum smirked, oozing self-satisfaction and pleasure. His body reeked of ejaculation, almost as if he had been pleasuring himself to the screams of pain. In fact, now that she was paying attention, she could smell Jareth. His was a distinctive scent. As she focused on that, she missed Puck's reaction to what Callum had said of Jareth.

That is until the sound of his fist smashing the man's nose echoed in the small space of the Cairn. Tilting her head, she laughed, Puck had him pressed against the wall, his feet hanging a good two feet off the ground as his forearm ground into the man's throat. "Serves you right boy, talking of a great king such as Jareth with such disrespect! Let alone the way you spoke to _me._ Be glad it is Puck who has you, and not me. I would not be so merciful."

She walked passed he and Puck, smiling in satisfaction as she heard the man grunt and gasp. The other man, Callum's cohort backed away from her. Unlike Callum, he had heard rumors of the woman before him. Petite she may be, she was scary as hell. There was no way he would face her, her power and raw potential… It was almost unheard of.

So Sarah continued deeper in the Cairn, in search of her King. Or at least a clue as to his whereabouts, what will she discover as time goes on? Will she find Jareth? Will his mental state be salvageable? Will he recognize her?


	5. Chapter 5

The darkness was overpowering, yet she couldn't bear to bring an orb of light into being. She just followed her instincts, which were saying a light in this place would be a bad idea… A very bad idea. Almost as if there was something alive that would awaken with light, she could almost feel a heartbeat as she walked, leaving Puck and the other two men far behind her. She was surprised that Puck had allowed her to leave his sight, let alone his protection.

The further she walked, the more it felt as if there was another presence with her. Keeping pace with her, letting her feel its fetid breath on the back of her neck, causing her toes to curl in her shoes. Hurrying her face as fast as she dared so as not to trip in the never-ending darkness, she kept her fingers trailing the wall, letting her power infuse the stone. It would be the only way for her to ever find her way back to Puck again. Unless the man came to find her himself, which was something she highly doubted as furious as he had been she was gone from his mind.

Huffing a soft laugh, she continued trying to ignore the presence stalking her every step. Soon she found herself in a cavern well beneath the Cairn. It was lit within by several hundred crystals, they were strung about the room, embedded within the walls, it was as if one of Jareth's crystals had exploded while imploding.

Taking a deep breath to center herself once more, she walked to the center of the room. Where she spotted Jareth sprawled against one wall, his hands shackled far above his head. Apparently one of his crystals _did_ explode, giving himself light at some point before he was shackled, therefore binding his powers. Hurrying she dodged the crystals lodged in the ground; reaching him she sank to her knees and tried to look him over for any other obvious injuries.

Seeing none, she gently reached for him only to be startled when he opened one eye to look at her. The look in his one eye was anger, for what she didn't know. But she would soon find out, "Sarah… What in the bloody hell are you doing here?" She gave him an insolent look before replying, "Saving your arrogant ass apparently… That is of course if you want me to. I could always just leave you to rot, my love for you be damned."

Laughter bubbled from his throat as he murmured, "Then let me go you wretched woman. Mortal you may be so… You can undo these damned shackles! Then… I shall deal with you appropriately. You should not have come for me. I did much so that they would never find you, yet here you are." Sarah ignored his snarkyness as she stood to undo that shackles, ignoring the way they began to burn. Jareth smelling burning flesh looked at her from his position on the ground. "Sarah… Why are your hands burning?"

Sarah in turn ignored him, concentrating instead on getting him freed of the shackles. She also ignored the pain in her hands as the cold steel wreaked havoc upon her. Suddenly, she managed to get him free as the shackles fell open at her feet, framing his form, with motions almost too quick for her pain addled mind to follow, he had grabbed her hands as he stood and was now inspecting them. Sarah could feel a snarl on her lips as she yanked her hands away, "My damned hands aren't important! They'll heal."

"Sarah…" Jareth couldn't help but wonder what he had done to his beautiful but mortal Sarah. She was obviously not mortal anymore, he could sense the ageless quality to her now, and he wondered how many years had passed for her. How many countless decades had he ignored the woman before him without even realizing it? Shaking his head, he figured he would worry about that later, in the meantime they needed to get out of there before his guards figured out that someone had snuck past them.

"Jareth, stop worrying that pretty kingly head of yours, we need to get our asses in gear. Puck is up with the guards, one of them made some very… Unwise words about you. He didn't take too kindly to his former flame being mocked or even that you were being held prisoner. Jareth startled when she mentioned that Puck was with her, he hadn't seen Puck in years, not since they had split up. Especially seeing as Puck was his father's closest retainer. Closing his eyes, he brought a memory of Puck to his mind, how handsome the man had been, golden of skin, dark of hair and eyes… How he had loved tracing his form with his eyes as he had slept, admiring a body that needed no adjustment, he had always been the embodiment of perfection in his eyes.

"If you're done reminiscing your majesty…" Sarah mocked as she began to follow her thread of power back to where she had left Puck. She could admit it, she was jealous of what the two had shared in the past, it didn't matter how long ago it had been… They had still been lovers, for apparently a long time too. Growling low in her throat, she once more ignored the sensation that something was stalking her.

"Sarah!" Jareth called as he realized she was not only leaving him, but that whatever was following her wasn't interested in him… It worried him. He was supposed to be a prisoner here, yet one of the beings who had supposed to have been watching him had let her come down to him and free him. Now it was following her! As if it was a lost puppy… Who had just found his mistress. As he realized this, he started swearing all the while laughing as he ran to catch up to the woman who would be his queen one day.

Who is this mysterious creature following Sarah? What exactly has Jareth realized? The King has been found, yet is he lacking sanity? We'll see if Sarah decides to hurt he or Puck as their lives intertwine ever more, as they leave the Cairn and they head to her family. A family that has only heard rumors of their immortal Aunt. Life will be changing, the prophecies foretold long ago will come to fruition. Is anything possible?


	6. Chapter 6

What Jareth didn't realize was that Sarah had already become his Queen. All in the Underground had heard of her Summons, the Summons that had Called one who was _not _Jareth. Hoggle had danced a jig, quietly of course seeing as he was still within the Labyrinth, who was still bound to Jareth. There was much that had happened in the past few years, rumors of Sarah's victory had been exaggerated, to the point that many feared her as if she were a goddess. Her powers and ability hadn't grown to that point… Yet.

Looking back over her shoulder, Sarah smiled to herself, Jareth was still following her, and he was in fact almost on her heels. Hearing a hissing, growling sound, she quickened her pace. Whatever had been stalking her was in fact not happy that Jareth was with her. It had been content to follow and watch until she had freed Jareth. Listening to it, she could almost swear it was a cat. A _much_ bigger cat than she was used to by the sounds it was making, but a cat nonetheless, and cats had after Merlin been her familiar.

Tracing her finger along the wall where she had imbued her power, she felt it slipping away into the world as she released it. She didn't want another to follow her path and realize that Jareth was gone _too_ quickly. After all, all the hard work she and Puck had put into his freedom! Quicker than it had been to find him, they were upon Puck and Callum, the fae stupid enough to have insulted Jareth.

Frowning when she realized that none of the men she had left there were there, she looked around. "Jareth, keep with me will you? I can't lose you after all the damned time it took to _find_ you!"

Wandering around the room that she had left them in, her frown quickly turned into a scowl. Seeing a line of light that didn't belong filtering between several of the stones, she jumped on it. Sarah let out an undignified squeak when Jareth came up behind her, only to have the wall open before them.

"Robin!" He called in delight, forgetting for several moments that the woman he wanted as his Queen stood beside him, watching as he greeted his former lover. In fact, he didn't even notice her scowl turn into a snarl as Puck greeted him with a brief kiss, one that Jareth seemed a little too eager to return.

"If you're done your majesty," She hissed stalking into the room, taking in the rest of the occupants with suspicion. It held only Puck, Callum and the unnamed man. Callum was bloodied with bruises already forming; she did not envy him Puck's anger. The other man, well he stood as far away from them as he could.

Jareth swallowed, it was all he could do not to bow down to her and apologize, if she didn't cool her anger he would be doing so. If it weren't for Puck's timely interruption, Jareth would have made a fool of himself. "Sarah, don't be too hard on him…. He _has_ been in captivity for several years…" Which didn't help Sarah's mood at all. In fact, he just made it worse; Jareth hadn't greeted _her_ like that! She was supposed to be his _Queen!_

"Don't speak to me Puck, Robin, whichever you prefer. He has made his bed, now he must lie in it!" She snarled, just as whatever had been following her struck at Puck, bowling him over. All in the room stared for a few tense seconds, before Callum and the other man screamed, scrambling to get away from the creature currently snarling with its fetid breath into Pucks face.

Sarah wide-eyed looked at Jareth, "What in the world is that?!"

"It's a Mngwa…" Jareth murmured in awe, even in the Underground such creatures were rare, it wasn't even what he had been thinking would be her familiar, seeing as his was an owl. The creature, now that it had stilled was gray with black stripes, almost as if it were an over grown tabby cat. Not much was known about them, aside from the fact that even in the Underground they hunted in the dark, killing those who had gone unpunished. In Africa, their legend was known and feared, many of the dead were found clutching tufts of a Mngwa's fur within their fingers even as they stiffened, furthering their fear.

"You must name it to make it yours, it has obeyed your unspoken wishes…" At that Jareth gave her a sardonic look. Her jealousy had spoken to the creature; he almost wondered what would have happened had she turned her anger to him. He shuddered at the thought, even he as a King could not defeat a Mngwa.

"Name it?" She murmured in thought, it was beautiful. Its eyes a golden green that shimmered and changed in the torchlight, fur that just gleamed and looked invitingly soft. She could learn to adore this creature, this Mngwa, it would be hers and no one else's. Puck interrupted her thoughts, bringing her wrath to him once more, "Will you hurry up here? It's breath kinda, uh you know _stinks!"_

Sarah just looked at him before smirking, "Stay there beautiful thing. I need to think of a name that suits you. Not just some willy-nilly, stupid name…" She would make him suffer, as she felt the first threads of the bond that would be between the Mngwa and herself. She could feel it's pleasure at making her happy, its laughter at Puck's fear. She could definitely learn to enjoy this.

Jareth watched the emotions playing across her face, amusement, delight, surprise. This was truly his beloveds bonded. There was no question of it, it would be a strong bond as well, if the emotions she was displaying were any indication. "Remember Sarah, these animals are feared not only in the Underground, but here in the Above. They are stronger than a lion and by far, deadlier than a leopard. This is no housecat."

Sarah didn't even look at him as he spoke; she was still admiring her bonded. The, she sensed from his thoughts, that he was a male. She let the laughter she felt at the indignation of her even _thinking_ he was female dance across their bond, a mental link that was invisible to all but them.

"I just need to name you, then you will _truly_ be mine…" She could almost feel it already, their bond was just tentative now, and soon it would _snap_ into place. As soon as she named him that is. "I will name you…." She paused, she needed something that was distinctly him. As she tried to figure it out, she called out some names, watching his and feeling his reaction to each suggestion, "Fable? Hephaestion? Zephyr?" As she named them off, another Mngwa wandered into the room, causing the one in front of her to let out a content growl. Sarah felt her eyes widen as another tentative link formed between her and this new cat, siblings? No they were mates.

"I guess I need to name both of you," Sarah murmured to them. "I think I shall name you," She sent a nudge to the male standing atop Puck, "Zephyr and your mate, Fable." Both cats let out a roar even as their shapes changed, they became smaller, looking more and more like a normal housecat. "Our Lady, our bonded, you are ours, as we are yours," The female newly named Fable whispered from a mouth not meant to form human words.

"We are one," Sarah agreed. She bent to pick them up as they came to hear, smirking once again as she heard Puck take in a deep gasping breath. Her bonded ones had truly terrified him; guess she knew how to get him back anytime he pissed her off now. Not that she really needed the ideas; she already knew that she herself already terrified him if angry enough. Sarah then turned to Jareth, "We're done here. I don't care of the two idiots over there tell anyone that you're gone. Then again, I don't think they will seeing as Fable and Zephyr scared them witless…" Jareth could feel her laughter in the air, he couldn't help but agree, who would have thought she'd end up with not one, but _two_ bonded? Especially two _Ngwa_!

As Puck stood, Sarah turned on her heel, hearing Jareth take quick steps to hug Puck before tugging him along after her. She could just imagine them holding hands as they jogged after her, as Fable and Zephyr felt her anger, they soothed her by hopping down and tangling themselves amongst her legs. Rubbing against her and letting out loud hisses anytime Puck or Jareth came too close.

"Sarah!" Jareth called, causing her to pause and look over her shoulder at him. He almost moaned, her eyes were haloed by her own power, causing them to glow a golden brown. She was beautiful in her power. "We're almost out of here, I can get us back to Puck's quicker than you or even he can. So let me?" Sarah just looked at him mutely before continuing on, Jareth would take that as a yes, she would allow him to take them to Puck's.

Soon, they were slipping out to the door Puck had revealed to Sarah earlier that evening. Now night had fallen, the stars glimmering above as Mother Moon gave light to their escape. They had to go about a hundred yards away from the Cairn before Jareth was able to use a crystal to take them to Puck's. He was exhausted and still depleted from the little scene Sarah had seen below the Cairn.

Jareth has been rescued and Sarah has bonded with the Ngwa. What of Puck and Jareth's relationship? How will both get back into or in Sarah's good graces? Is there time for new beginnings before those who deposed of Jareth as Goblin King find out he is missing?


	7. Chapter 7

Sarah ignored the way both Puck and Jareth were looking at her. She just waited impatiently for Jareth to conjure a crystal, one that would take them back to that tiny little town where Puck had built his home and following. She barely contained her sigh, thoughts of her family, the family she hadn't seen since her brother had died. In fact, she could feel an insistent tugging at her, a tugging she hadn't felt since well, her brother died. The day she re-met her niece and her brothers. She didn't think she'd made a very good impression on them.

She wanted to rest; yet she knew she couldn't. Not if her family was summoning her with their need. It had been many years since she had seen them. At least two and a half decades since last she had unobtrusively stopped to look in on her great-great-grand nieces and nephews. Now… By now there would be at least two more generations added to her family.

She could feel her bond-mates stalking closer to her, along with the men's wary gazes upon her as they did so. They were still afraid of her newly found bond-mates, she couldn't blame them, and they _were_ terrifying in not just the Aboveground but the Underground as well. Even though they were now the size of housecats and twined about her legs, they were terrified, they knew it wouldn't take much to provoke her and in doing so set Fable and Zephyr after them.

"Sarah..?" Jareth ventured cautiously, seeing that something was distressing her. She just looked at him wordlessly, waiting for him to conjure his crystal. She would have to let him recover before she would be able to make her way to her family, despite the insistent tugging at her psyche.

"Just take us back to Puck's. Then you will rest before I go to Toby's family. They have need of me, the goblins have been watching over them. If I am being summoned, then it is truly dire. The last time I was truly summoned was when Toby died. I try…" She paused before she continued, "I try to stay away from them. The more exposure to me or anyone who is not fae has… Well they begin to morph; I change them with my mere presence. Hell, my niece _married_ a fae, one of your siblings because I met her and made a prophecy!" Jareth looked at her, what was there he could say? Nothing. Words at the moment were useless, so he took control of his fear, ignoring her bond-mates, and wrapped her in his arms. Despite the pain from the shackles that had held him, despite the exhaustion that dogged his every step, he would offer this to her. His love and comfort, what she would take of it at the very least.

After only a few moments, Sarah pulled away, while Jareth looked a little forlorn. She hadn't spent near enough time in his arms in his eyes; he suspected that there was more to her story. He honestly hadn't kept up with how long it had been in the mortal world, it also hadn't helped that he'd been prisoner for… Quite a long time actually. He'd stopped waiting for the cavalry to come and rescue him. It had been that long.

Without warning, he rolled a crystal to his fingertips, letting it rest there for a moment before he threw it at the ground. It exploded in a wave of light, and when they next opened their eyes, they stood on the landing of Pucks estate. It was then Jareth collapsed, letting himself fall against the railing to slow his descent to the floor. Looking up at the two still standing, he gave them a wan smile before the darkness took him. Neither were truly reassured however.

While Puck went to find his healer, she sat next to Jareth, holding onto one of his hands, letting him borrow some of her strength to begin to heal himself. She knew that he would need the healer to mend the wounds from the shackles, those had been iron and not even his healing ability would be able to help him there.

Yet, in letting him borrow her strength, he would heal that little bit faster. Those wounds caused by instruments other than iron would heal within hours instead of the weeks it would take for the wounds on his wrists. She frowned as she watched him, his color was slowly getting better, yet… She knew he was probably dehydrated and starved. These were things the healer would need to care for, there was nothing she could do other than hold his hand.

She had to leave soon though. As soon as Puck came back with the healer, her family bond was pulling at her so hard it almost _hurt_. She wasn't exactly _comfortable_ leaving him all alone with Puck knowing their history, but what was she to do? Her family needed her, and she'd promised she'd _always_ come when they needed her. Sarah's indecision pained her almost as much as the bond was currently doing.

Hearing footsteps, she looked up to see Puck and a woman about her height walking up the stairs to the landing where Jareth's crystal had taken them. "I am Healer Mariah. I have always seen to the King. So if you would move on now," The healer shooed at Sarah as if she was just a common girl. Sarah could feel her bond-mates anger even as she knew it echoed hers, reflecting it making it all the more powerful.

Sarah let go of Jareth's hand as she stood, her anger causing the floor to ripple with ice. Without a thought, she held her hands to either side as Fable and Zephyr came to her, nuzzling her hands as they did so. She watched the healer's eyes widen, she had heard rumors… There was a prophecy of a girl and two bond-mates, yet was this she? If so, who was she? What was her relationship to the King?

"I am Sarah, runner and _champion_ of the Labyrinth, soon to be _Queen_ of the Labyrinth. You dare speak to me as if I _am nothing?" _Sarah hissed, as Fable and Zephyr eyed the other woman hunger in their eyes.

"You would taste good," Zephyr murmured in her grating cat voice, watching the healer squirm as she realized the two Ngwa were sentient, _speaking_ creatures. Not all from the Underground was.

"Zephyr, don't tease her so… Besides you know if I were to kill her, you wouldn't want her… She'd be frozen and no good to my darling bond-mates…" Sarah's cruelty had come to the forefront once more. The healer deserved it.

"You are…" Healer Mariah's eyes were huge and liquid as she spoke, stuttering only slightly as she realized exactly who Sarah was. Not to mention Sarah's bond-mates threats… None of them could have been serious, right? "You're… The one who will be his wife, the one who ran the Labyrinth and won the baby back?" Sarah just looked at her, the ice in her eyes having not melted at all, nor the ice along the floor surrounding Jareth or her.

"Attend to his wounds, I will be back as soon as I can." Seeing that Puck was about to question her, she gave him a wordless, soundless snarl, with a hint of teeth. She would not be questioned, she was needed elsewhere now that her King had been rescued.

"Do not _question_ me Puck! I shall be back soon. I am needed elsewhere, I have sworn it, therefore it must be." Puck just nodded, there was not much he could do seeing as he was still terrified of her. Especially after what she had just done, she had leant some of her _own_ power to Jareth, he looked far better than he had. So much so that he didn't think it would take as much time as he'd thought originally for him to be up and about wanting his Kingdom back. To be able to _still_ frost the floor with her anger and to be able to… Banter with her bond-mates the way they had to terrify the healer… Well… She was scarily powerful.


End file.
